San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-12-29
po..m. m..ter aen.r.r. R.porA


''The expectation of growth and improve.
ment In the affairs Of the postal service, In
dulged in previous reports, has been realized
during the past year. In part arising from
an extension Of the limits Of mailable mat
ter Of the fourth class, ordered to meet the
requirements Of trade, and from the receipts
Of the special delivery service, but chiefly
from the greater employment OF oil postal
facilities consequent upon the rising business
prosperity Of the country, faithfully re-
fected in the postal service, the revenues
have gained upon the preceding year by
nearly "a, $40, Quo, attaining height never
reached before, despite The restrictive opsr-
alton Of various reductions In the rates Of
postage. Upon the other hand the study Of
economy has not been without effect in re.
straiiifng the necessarily rising scale of
expenditure, SO that the increase Of cash
disbursements has but little ovsrstspped "a,
0O0,00
''Thus the deficiency charged upon the
general treasury. which two years since was
round seven millions and year ago but
about seventy thousand less, has been re-
duced almost thrse-sevenths, while the fair
argury from our present circumstances
gives hope that during the current year IL
will nearly il not entirely disappear II
there shall remain at the years end any ex-
cess Of cash expenditure above receipts, 10
cannot but be much less than the postages
upon the mail matter OF the government
itself, estimated to be at least two millions
annually, and reasonably its debt to the
postal service. 1t may, therefore, be fairly
affirmed that from the beginning Of the
current fiscal year tho postal service has
again become substantially self-sustaining;
and the prediction be ventured that II the
revenues be not further crippled, and only
a similar ratio of increasing expenditure bo
held the next fiscal year will yield sur
plus, which should, under the same condi-
tions. annually increase.
''The total number OF postofflces of all
classes on the lst day Of July, 1887, stood at
55, l57, besides which there were also 6l3
branch offices or stations. OF the branch
offices, all AL Hillary to the postoiilces In the
larger cities, l5s are stations for the salo Of
stamps aud stamped paper only, maintained
a. ,mall cost; II others are also registration
offices; IS more are both registry and money
order stations beside; and ~ more are car.
rier stations In addition, except that six of
them do no money order business. The car
rier STATIONS are generally postoilices In all
but name, having a superintendent rented
apartments, and suitable allowances.
''ro bring the general figures up to q
more recent date, the whole number Of post
offices on the lst day of October had become
55, 43l, of which 1881 ware sala. ied or presi-
Dental offlcos distributed in classes aud 53.-
O53 were fourth class. Besides these were
G25 branch offices or stations, an increase Of
IL for the sale Of stamps only. or the whole.
8.OS0 were money orler Offices and ITO
money order stations.
OF its money order service, Mr.. Villas
says: "The money order ssrvics continued
10 increase in volume during tho past yoar,
the amount In the aggregate Of domestic
orders issued reaching sll7. 4G2. .66l 30, and
Of international orders s9,D3j, 53n 81; 5.2 per
contum Of increase over the preceding year
In domestic oriers. and IS 55 per cent in
foreign. The aggregate OF postal notes is-
sued was 1I,7Gs S2Lel. and increase OF but
$50, ,sl4 a. The reduction Of the fee from
3 to cents for domestic m0nsy orders not
exceeding $5 pursuant 10 the recommenda-
tion Of two years ago, has operated to in-
crease the use of this service TO the re-
mitters Of small sums in noticeable degree.
The average amount OF each order issued
last year was but sl2 ~ ~ against an aver
ago OF ti4 33 In 1856, and larger sums IN
previous years. This IL also Indicated by
-. ,ncrs.sa ~ IA OF mar csn. IN tha nun.
ber ~ ordor. issuaI and NV the smsn An.
60. q, ~. ,,ss al ,so.,.i rc,a. In IN.
r,snna, ,bs rednctiop of tho fee for forsign
,-JIars o,,.-.,ss a., en,arvad nsa NJ than
!, s,,,o,,n,,n~ 20 % ~ nsr cant IN npmher
T-.,,,,Isint. os.,,nrro,ar r.vua,t. ~ money
Sr,is,. ,,,.,ta-a5 oniv fortv-savar Tor tie
-. -. 80, -, ,,,,,, it,a 40 o-dsr. n.id ~
r.. ,.,-,i,,, -. ra,ov.r.d other, ,wsra
.t,o,o >, . hass -, oa,rsrslv III s,a b.s
- Ia - ,.o,,rs riso,, r,..nIfsd q,
- -, - ,,,..'-..,,.,. 80 - ,Hs .-ov.r,,n.,.
'-,-,--. =. --,.-. -. ..7-..
on eH-. suoJsos 'Ho ~. -
raii"Ay Hai sesFlos' I's sAsss .no'e--s'
on-nsS op'rA''O", Ant o'lels''n,, A, -
-ei.'i IN tos reyOrs .. s-s ssnel - s1psI
tenlsuL SHOWS tnAt ~ t1s cip-e u tns nso4